SNEAKY TRICKS NETWORKS USE TO PROTECT CLIFFHANGERS

SNEAKY TRICKS NETWORKS USE TO PROTECT CLIFFHANGERS

NEW YORK (Wireless Flash) -- TV producers resort to some sneaky tactics to ensure the secrecy of their season finales. "TV Guide" is reporting that "ER" producers were so desperate to keep George Clooney's appearance on the finale a secret that they bribed the cast and crew to keep their mouths shut with post-dated bonus checks that couldn't be cashed until after the show aired. "Spin City" producers were so afraid TV critics would spill the beans about Michael J. Fox's final episode that they deleted key scenes from screening tapes. And "X-Files" creator Chris Carter didn't even bother to write this season's cliffhanger where Scully finds out she's pregnant until the morning of taping -- and he personally delivered the lines to Gillian Anderson.